Written by Carol Hockenberry, in May 1996 Barrel Horse News
Have you ever wondered how much the “big time” barrel horse trainers charge for their services and what their policies are? We contacted six top barrel horse trainers from across the country who train horses for barrel futurities and derbies, rodeos and barrel training in general. The fees were quite similar, even in different parts of the country and many policies were the same. However, payback to the owner can vary from 20 percent to 50 percent and only half required contracts. The trainers included are: Kay Blandford of Texas, Mary Burger of Oklahoma, Talmadge Green of South Carolina, Pam Ross of California, Ed and Martha Wright of Texas and Kelly Yates of Colorado.
KAY BLANDFORD accepts any breed of horse and will train horses for any kind of barrel racing. She charges $400 per month for training, which includes board, and is the most economical of the trainers. She also has a different method of charging for hauling which includes a $50 rate for going to a show instead of adding up all the expenses, then dividing them among the number of horses hauled.
MARY BURGER primarily takes in Quarter Horses for training, but does take an occasional Appaloosa. She will, however, accept any breed of horse. She divides her traveling expenses evenly among the number of horses hauled by adding up the cost of gas, food and trailer hook-up and dividing that amount by the number of horses she’s hauling. She rarely has a hotel bill because she stays in the living quarters of her horse trailer. Her training fee is $450 per month. She has regular customers, such as Jerry and Betty Wells, Sulphur, Okla., and keeps only a few horses in training at a time, to give them abundant attention. She also shows at many AQHA shows as well as at futurities.
TALMADGE GREEN does not take outside customers’ horses to train like he used to do. Now, he buys futurity prospects, trains and hauls them on the futurity circuit, then sells them. When he does run a horse for someone else, he may accept the horse a week before a big show or just “catch-ride” it at the event. He keeps one-half of the money won after the entry fee is taken out, which is paid by the owner.
PAM ROSS keeps her prices very reasonable, even though the cost of living in California is usually higher than other parts of the U.S. She puts the horses on a vitamin-and-feed supplement program, which is included in her training cost of $450 per month. She gives lessons for S25, which can last from one to three hours. She keeps 20 percent of her winnings and has a contract on training and liability.
ED and MARTHA WRIGHT train mostly Quarter Horses and concentrate on futurities. They give clinics nationwide and also give private and group lessons. Martha says the lessons last as long as it takes and a group lesson may last from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This give6 the horses a chance to rest while another horse is being worked with. They own many of their own futurity horses and accept only a few, select futurity horses that they feel will be winners. Their cost is S500 per month.
KELLY YATES, who hauled successfully on the rodeo circuit for years, trains mostly futurity horses. She also puts her horses on a special feeding program, which is included in her S450 per month training bill. She gives lessons for $30 for two hours and hauls horses to jackpots for no charge as part of her training program. Kelly also stays in her trailer and splits the gas bill among the number of horses hauled. For example: If there are four horses and two are hers, she splits the bill four ways. She keeps one- third of the prize money and has contracts of training, showing, hauling and sales.
Pro Costs At-A-Glance:
KAY BLANDFORD
STOCKDALE, TEXAS, (210) 745-2715
EVENTS/BREEDS: Any kind of barrel racing, futurities, rodeos, etc. Any breed.
TRAINING FEE(S): $400 per month. This includes board fee and training.
BOARD: Training horses only.
OTHER CHARGES: Client responsible for farrier and veterinarian charges.
LESSONS: Lessons for customers or individuals are $25 per lesson.
HAULING AND SHOW EXPENSES: $50 flat rate for futurities. She stays in her gooseneck trailer.
ENTRY FEE: Owner pays entry fee for futurities and derbies. Customer does not pay entry fee for small, open jackpots.
PAYBACK SHARE: Trainer keeps 1/3 of prize money and gives the prizes the customers.
GOALS: Trains horses to win and to be ridden by the owners to be winners.
SALE HORSE: 10 percent. Does take in some sale horses.
CONTRACTS: None.
RIDING ASSISTANT(S): Sheila Proctor, her sister.
MARY BURGER
RT 1 BOX 408 A, ELMORE CITY, 0K, 73835, (405) 788-4461
EVENTS/BREEDS: AQHA barrel racing and barrel futurities. Accepts all breeds, but primarily trains Quarter Horses.
TRAINING FEE(S): $450 per month (includes board)
BOARD: Training horses only.
OTHER CHARGES: Client responsible for farrier and veterinarian charges.
LESSONS: None
HAULING AND SHOW EXPENSES: Traveling expenses are split equally among number of horses in trailer. Trailer has living quarters, so stays in hotels are infrequent. Traveling expenses include gas, food and hookup charge for the trailer.
ENTRY FEE: Owner pays entry fee.
PAYBACK SHARE: The prize money is split 50/50 after the entry fee is taken out.
GOALS: To make consistent, long-term horses. She spends time on them to put a solid foundation of basics on the horses.
SALE HORSE: 10 percent. Takes in only 3-4 horses for training and takes sale horses only once in a while.
CONTRACTS: None
RIDING ASSISTANT(S): Her son, Todd, also trains barrel horses.
TALMADGE GREEN
10 CLYDE ROAD, FOUNTAIN INN, SC 29644, (864) 947-2134
EVENTS/BREEDS: Trains barrel futurity horses that he owns or owns in partnership. Does take in an occasional horse to ride before a big futurity or will ride a horse at a futurity, but generally does not take in outside horses to train and haul.
TRAINING FEE(S):Trains his horses only.
BOARD: None
OTHER CHARGES: N/ A
LESSONS: None
HAULING AND SHOW EXPENSES: The gas bill, traveling expenses and hotel is split equally among the number of horses hauled.
ENTRY FEE: Owner pays entry fee.
PAYBACK SHARE: Splits prize money 50/50 after entry fees are taken out.
GOALS: Buys, sells and trains horses for barrel futurity and barrel racing competition.
CONTRACTS: N/A
PAM ROSS
18660 BLOSS, ROAD, HILMAR, CA 9S324, (209) 632-0553
EVENTS/BREEDS: Barrel futurity and rodeo barrel racing training. Quarter Horses, Appendix Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas.
TRAINING FEE(S): $450 per month. This includes board fee, training and hay, grain, vitamins and supplements.
BOARD: Training horses only.
OTHER CHARGES: Client responsible for farrier and veterinarian charges.
LESSONS: Lessons for customers are included in training. Lessons for individuals and children are $25 per lessons which ranges from 1-3 hours.
HAULING AND SHOW EXPENSES: Traveling expenses, which include fuel, food and motel, are divided equally among the number of horses hauled.
ENTRY FEE: Owner is responsible for entry fees.
PAYBACK SHARE: Trainer keeps 20 percent of prize money won and customer keeps all prizes won.
GOALS: Trains horses to be lasting horses, mentally stable and physically able for owners to compete on.
SALE HORSE: None
CONTRACTS: Contracts on training, care and liability.
RIDING ASSISTANT(S): Janelle Dickerson.
MARTHA AND ED WRIGHT
RT. 4 BOX 70A, DUBLIN, TEXAS 76446
EVENTS/BREEDS: Barrel futurities/derbies. All breeds, but mostly Quarter Horses.
TRAINING FEE(S): $5OO per month.
BOARD: Training horses only
OTHER CHARGES: Client responsible for farrier and veterinarian charges.
LESSONS: They give private lessons and clinics. $100 per horse. A group lesson may last all day.
HAULING AND SHOW EXPENSES: Hauling expenses and hotel bills are split equally among the number of horses hauled. For short trips it is $5 a horse for gas. The Wrights haul many of their own horses and haul only a few outside horses.
ENTRY FEE: Owner pays entry fee.
PAYBACK SHARE: Money and prizes are split 50/50.
GOALS: To make a winning futurity horse, which will go on to a good, solid derby and rodeo horse.
SALE HORSE: They occasionally take in high-quality consignment horses and take approximately 10 percent.
CONTRACTS: None.
RIDING ASSISTANT(S): None
KELLY YATES
1262 LANE 30, PUEBLO, CO 81006, (719) 948-9232
EVENTS/BREEDS: Mostly barrel training for futurities, derbies and some rodeos. Primarily accepts Quarter Horses and Half-Thoroughbreds off the track.
TRAINING FEE(S): $450 per month. This includes board fee, training and feed. Also, any supplements in a special feed program are included.
BOARD: Training horses only.
OTHER CHARGES: Client responsible for farrier and veterinarian charges.
LESSONS: Lessons for individuals are $30 for two hours.
HAULING AND SHOW EXPENSES: The gas bill is split equally among the number of horses hauled. She stays in the living quarters of her horse trailer, with exception of the World Championship Barrel Futurity, and the hotel bill is split among customers.
ENTRY FEE: Owner pays entry fee for futurities and derbies. Customer does not pay entry fee for small, open jackpots or AQHA shows.
PAYBACK SHARE: Trainer keeps 1/3 of prize money and one-half of prizes (saddles, buckets, halters, etc.). Trainer keeps money won at small shows and jackpots.
GOALS: Trains horses to be ready for the owner to ride after the futurity year and for the life span of the horse.
SALE HORSE: 10 percent to briefly fit and sell, 20 percent after finding, training and seasoning the horse for the buyer.
CONTRACTS: Contracts on training, hauling, showing and sales.
RIDING ASSISTANT(S): None.
